Never Again
by Dana1
Summary: A group shatters in so many ways. Here's how it could have gone differently.
1. The News

Title: Never Again

Author: Dana

Rating: G

Warnings: Curse words and violence

Summary: A group shatters in so many ways. Here's how it could have gone differently.

Author's note: So, 14 years ago I started a trilogy of fics called Different Shades of RAW where it looked at one incident at RAW and sowed three different ways it could have happened differently. I'm going that with RAW 10/22/18. First chapter will be the start where it's all the same for all three parts. The first paragraph is really the last paragraph and the rest of the fic will be flashbacks.

Second Author's note: You got a problem with this fic? Get over it. I went there yeah.

Theme song for this fic: How to Save a Life

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this fic

Dean Ambrose stood in the back at the end of the show. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. He felt someone staring at him and he turned to see Roman standing there and his best friend grabbed him in a hug and whispered the same words he had heard earlier tonight from Seth Rolliins. "It's okay."

DDD

 _Roman had missed all of the shows that weekend saying he had some things to take care of. When he arrived at the arena with his wife Renee Young, Seth Rollins had met him at the entrance to say that Roman needed to talk to them about something and basically gave Renee a look that pretty much said she wasn't invited. Dean started to say something but Renee said it was okay. She said she wanted to talk to Natalya before the show anyway._

 _Dean followed Seth into a locker room where they found Roman sitting on a bench with his cousin Nia Jax sitting next to him rubbing circles into Roman's back._

" _I'll let you guys talk," she said before leaving the locker room._

" _Ro everything okay?" Dean asked. He blanched when he saw the look on Roman's face._

" _My leukemia's back." Roman said and then put his hands over his face. Dean sat down in a chair unable to speak. Roman had told him that he had been diagnosed with Leukemia 11 years ago, and had been in remission._

 _Seth sat down on the other side of Roman. "Are you sure?" Seth asked also not believing what he was hearing._

" _Yeah. I…I wanted to tell you two before I told the fans. I've already talked to Corbin, and I'll be relinquishing the Universal Title. I won't be like Brock Lesnar who leaves for months and defends the title whenever he feels like it. I just don't…"_

 _Seth pulled him into a hug and Dean followed suit. As Dean pulled away he felt Roman grab his hand and put something in it. He closed it and whispered into his ear. "Open it after I'm done talking to the crowd."_

 _Seth never saw it as he was looking at the ground crying. Roman pulled away from the hug. Dean pushed the paper into his pocket._

" _I gotta get my head together." Roman said weakly before walking out of the locker room._

" _We're winning the titles for Roman tonight," Seth said._

 _Dean looked up abruptly. He wasn't even thinking about the tag titles. Shouldn't they be thinking about their friend? He looked into Seth's eyes before saying, "I can't deal with this right now." He said and walked away._

DDD

Notes: So, as I mentioned, there will be three different endings. Trust me this is an emotional fic.


	2. End A: Step one you say we need to talk

Notes: I'm starting with the happier version of how it could have ended. Also, I rewrote how the outside of the match went back when Dean kayfabed got hurt. Joe actually did the exact opposite in the match.

Dean waited until Seth and Roman had walked away. Roman had just done the toughest speech he had ever done. Dean still wasn't sure how he had gotten through it without crying. He had placed a hand on the back of Seth's head while he hugged Roman. He had to be the cornerstone he had been known for. No matter the hell he had been through for the past 365 days first not breaking a table and messing up his arm. Then Joe slamming his arm in a crate that put him on the shelf for eight months. He never once blamed Seth. It was bad timing as Joe had pushed him in the way to take most of the brunt of Seth's body.

Then there was almost dying. Roman had been there as much as he could. Seth called and texted but he and Seth hadn't been that close ever since Seth broke up the Shield. They'd probably never be best friends again, but Dean was okay with that.

He unfolded the paper and read it.

 _Dean,_

 _I know it's been a tough year for you. Please know that even though I'm not with you on the road, I'm wish you in spirit. Take care of Seth._

That was so Roman. Dean thought as he pocketed the note. Always thinking of him and Seth instead of himself.

He went through backstage looking for Roman and Seth. He found Seth standing in the locker room. He was putting on his Shield vest. "Roman's gone back to the motel," Seth explained. "He said he'll be

Dean nodded as he changed out of his black tank top and into his Shield shirt. He looked at the vest that was lying on the top of his bag. He sometimes wore it to ringside but he took it off before the match. Tonight, he really didn't feel like wearing the vest and the dog tags. He put his dog tags on.

"We should strategize," Seth said.

"You are the architect. You plan and tell me what we're going to do. I don't want to talk about it. I don't even want to do this match."

"We gotta win the titles for Roman."

"Are you serious?" Dean asked staring at Seth as if he had lost his mind. "Is the gold all you care about Seth?"

"No," Seth stuttered. "It's just something we have to do."

"Yeah whatever. I'm going to get something to eat." Dean said and stormed out of the locker room.

He headed for catering and found it mostly empty except for wrestlers who had to be backstage but never really got matches. He sat down and picked at his food.

"Tough break man," a familiar voice said.

Dean looked up and saw Kevin Owens standing there. The Canadian sat down across from him. Could tonight get any weirder? Dean wondered.

Dean got ready to get up but Kevin said, "you don't have to get up. Look I know we've had our problems, but I see you need a friend. Not of the Seth Rollins type it looks like. He's probably trying to figure out how to carry both titles."

Dean cracked a smile. "Yeah I've seen what you do to your friends." Dean shot back.

"Well Jericho had it coming." Kevin said with a shrug. "Yeah well okay we'll never be friends but you look like you need to talk to someone. I had my problems with all three of you, but it really sucks what happened to Roman."

"He never led on that he wasn't feeling well," Dean said. He hadn't wanted to talk about it, but he had no reason to put up a wall with Kevin.

Kevin nodded.

"Now he's just gone. Seth wants us to win this for Roman but I don't…" he couldn't finish that sentence. It wasn't that it was too hard to finish, he just wasn't willing to open up completely in front of Owens.

"The title isn't everything?"

Dean nodded.

"I get it man. Personally, I don't agree but I'm not you. Thank God." His phone started ringing. He looked down and a smile crossed his face. "Sorry it's Karina." He said getting up and walking away.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and you're suddenly buddy buddy with Kevin Owens?" Seth asked from behind him.

"Nah," Dean said.

"Well Charley wants to interview us about tonight."

Dean sighed. He might as well get it over with.

DDD

Dean stood on the apron watching Seth get the three count after Braun had chased Drew away. He got into the ring and tripped over his own feet. He hit the mat with his hand. He wasn't sure how he felt about this win. It really felt bitter sweet. Too bad Roman wasn't out there with them to celebrate. He looked behind him almost thinking Roman or someone would come in the ring but no one was there.

He got up and hugged Seth.

Dean dropped his hug and just let Seth hug him. he put a hand to the back of his head. he started to move away but Seth pulled him back into a hug.

"We did it." Seth said into his ear. "Roman's going to be proud. "We did it." Seth said into his ear. "Roman's going to be proud.

He dropped the title on the mat.

"What are you doing?" Seth asked.

"It's yours." He said and walked out of the ring.

"Dean it's okay." Seth called picking up the title to hand it back to him. "I didn't mean…"

Dean looked at him before shaking his head. "It's all you care about."

He looked at Seth one more time before walking away.

Once he got backstage he pushed Baron aside. "Ambrose!" Baron yelled. "You can't just…"

"Watch me," he yelled back as he kept walking.

After showering, Dean stood in the back at the end of the show. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. He felt someone staring at him and he turned to see Roman standing there and his best friend grabbed him in a hug and whispered the same words he had heard earlier tonight from Seth Rolliins. "It's okay."

"I don't want to do this as some kind of tribute to you. No offense man."

"None taken." Roman said rubbing a hand over Dean's shaved head.

"When did you get back here?"

"Right before your match. Someone called me saying you might need someone to talk to."

"Owens?"

Roman nodded.

"I didn't want to be in this match. I only stayed in the Shield after SummerSlam because you asked me to."

"I know man."

"We don't have to be tag champs Dean," Seth said stepping out of the shadows. "We'll tell Baron that he can stick them up his ass."

"God you sound like my cousin." Roman said shaking his head.

"Shut up," Seth said biting back a smile. "We can go our separate ways. Tell me what you want to do Dean."

"I don't know."

He really didn't.

DDD

Notes: I just realized this chapter is not going to be a simple three-chapter story! Each story may branch int its own. Let me know what you guys think of that possibility.


	3. End B: Between the lines of fear & blame

Notes: Ending B. Completely different than the last chapter, so please do not be confused. I am also changing the backstage gorilla position stuff on who hugs Hunter. The note is going to be slightly different.

Dean stood in the back with Seth watching Roman tell the fans about the cancer coming back. He still couldn't believe what he was hearing even though Roman had told them before the show. he turned to look at Seth who had tears streaming down his face. He wasn't sure which of them had moved away from the other, but the space was noticeable.

"I can't believe it," Shawn Michaels said from somewhere behind him. he turned to see the older man along with Hunter Hearst Helmsley standing there watching one of the monitors at the Gorilla Position. It seemed a lot of people had gathered there as soon as Roman had started talking.

Seth didn't say anything to Dean as he went through the curtain. Dean quickly followed him. they all hugged each other at the same time. Dean could feel Seth shaking with tears so he set a hand to the back of his head. Seth appeared to flinch but Roman didn't notice.

After they hugged one final time, Dean let Roman then Seth go through the curtain. He watched Roman get hugs from HBK, Finn, and divas as he walked past them towards the locker rooms. Seth lingered behind with Roman.

Once he was in the locker room he was sharing with Roman and Seth, now apparently just Seth, he opened the note.

Dean,

No matter what happens next, know that I'll be there for you even if it's in spirit.

Roman

Dean changed out of his tank top and put his Shield shirt on. He looked at the vest that he usually wore to the ring even if he took it off before the match. he put the dog collars on.

Seth came into the locker room wiping away tears. "Roman said he's going to head back to the motel to rest. He said making this announcement was the hardest thing he's ever done." He started to change.

Dean sat on the bench and didn't say anything. He felt kind of alone even with Seth in the locker room. He and Seth hadn't really talked since he came back for SummerSlam. Unless you count the arguments, they had had ever since Drew, Dolph, and Strowman had tried to split up the Shield. Dean knew that was all they were trying to do, but having Seth pretty much treat him like someone to help them win hurt. Roman had said something similar by saying if he got hurt, who was going to help them at Super Show Down.

"We've got the tag title match tonight," Seth said bringing him out of his thoughts.

Dean stared at him blankly. "I don't know…" Dean said. The tag title match was the farthest thing from his mind.

"We've got to win the titles for Roman," Seth said.

"Do you think he cares if we win the tag titles?" Dean asked as he stood up.

This time Seth stared back at him blankly. "Of course, he does. He said that we have to win tonight before he left."

"Okay fine," Dean said. "I'm going to get something to eat.

He headed for catering. He didn't care that Seth wasn't joining them. Maybe Roman was the one who had held the group together better than he did before getting injured. He just didn't want to talk to Seth at the moment.

When he got to catering he found Nia sitting there with Tamina Snuka. He didn't really want to sit down but Nia called, "hey Dean. You can sit with us."

Dean went over and sat down. He picked at his food.

"How are you doing?" Tamina asked. It was her first night back on RAW and she couldn't believe what she had come back to. Roman was part of her family.

Dean shrugged. "I'm still trying to digest it." He said truthfully.

"We all are," Tamina said. "I didn't even know until he went out there. Nia said he told her, you, and Seth."

"He probably didn't tell you because he didn't know you were here," Nia reminded her. She turned to Dean. "Dean you have always been a part of Roman's family so please know that we are here with you. Seth too. Where is he anyway?"

Dean shrugged. "Getting ready for the title match."

Almost as if hearing them talk to them, Seth walked up to them. "Charlie wants to talk to us about the match tonight."

Dean stood up slowly and followed Seth out of catering.

"I don't know about this." Dean said. He didn't want to talk to Charlie about the title match.

"It's okay Dean. I've got tonight covered."

DDD

Dean watched from the apron as Seth made the cover on Dolph for the three count. Drew had been chased from ringside by Braun. Dean hurried into the ring to get to Seth and tripped over his own feet. He hit the mat as emotion went through him as the ref handed him the title. He and Seth got up and hugged.

"Another title reign for the Shield," Seth said. "Roman will be proud."

Dean stopped hugging Seth a bit surprised by his words. He moved to leave the ring and stopped. He dropped the tag title on the mat. It almost seemed symbolic of what Roman had done earlier but he was doing it for a completely different reason.

He started to leave the ring but Seth grabbed his arm. "Leave me alone Seth," he said. He turned away again and something hit him in the back of the head causing him to fall out of the ring.

Dean looked up expecting Dolph to be looking down at him but he saw someone he didn't expect. Seth was holding the tag title and looking down at him with nothing but anger.

Dean got up to his feet. "What's your problem Seth," Dean asked as he got into the man's face. "Go find Jason Jordan if you want to be tag champs. It's what you did last time."

That seemed to be the breaking point as Seth jumped on him and started punching him. Dean threw him off and went to punch him back when Seth grabbed the tag title and hit him right in the face. it knocked him off balance and Seth was on top of him again.

"You are nothing without me Ambrose! You hear me? You're nothing!" he started choking him.

Dean, who for the first time in a few years, had a weight advantage on Seth was able to roll Seth off of him.

"Seems I did just fine without you in Smackdown!" Dean said starting to punch Seth. Suddenly he felt someone's hands in his hair pulling him off. He looked up to see Drew McIntyre had made it back to ringside.

The Scottish psychopath grabbed him by the arms and held him for Seth to start punching him in the midsection. He tried to kick at Seth but Seth moved out of the way. He grabbed a steel chair and it felt like dejavu as Seth drove a chair into his midsection several times.

There was a roar as Braun Strowman's music hit. Before Drew took off he set Dean up to have Seth do a curb stomp onto the steel chair before taking off.

Seth looked down at Dean in disgust before taking both belts and started walking from ringside.

Dean struggled to a sitting position. His arms going around his midsection. "Is that all you got Seth?" he rasped out.

Seth came back and grabbed him and pulled him to a different part of ringside where he had taken the mat off the floor.

He performed a curb stomp onto the floor.

Dean lay in a peaceful darkness for a few moments before officials helped him to the back.

He stood backstage trying to catch his breath refusing medical help. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. He felt someone staring at him and he turned to see Roman standing there and his best friend grabbed him in a hug and whispered the same words he had heard earlier tonight from Seth Rolliins. "It's okay."

Dean wasn't sure things had been okay for almost a year.


End file.
